WHO sends specialists to South Africa to help contain pandemic

The World Health Organisation is sending dozens of senior experts to South Africa to help the nation deal with the world’s fifth-highest number of coronavirus infections.

South Africa has more than half-a-million confirmed Covid-19 cases and expects the first wave of infections to peak around the end of August, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize told reporters. The WHO is responding to a request for help by sending 43 specialists, with several arriving Wednesday, he said.

While South Africa has had reduced hospital admissions in recent weeks and its official virus death toll of 8,884 people is relatively low, medical researchers have found a discrepancy between the country’s confirmed Covid-19 fatalities and the number of excess natural deaths. All sudden deaths, as well as those that occur at home, must now be tested for the virus before a death certificate is issued, Mkhize said.

The country is also pursuing local vaccine manufacturing options and is participating in two global research projects, he said.